The 42nd Session of the UNESCO General Conference has started on 7 November and ended its work on 22 November 2023 at UNESCO HQs in Paris, France. The General Conference is the most important event in the UNESCO’s calendar. It happens every two years for over two-weeks attended by 193 Member States and Associate Members. The Conference determines the policies and the main lines of work of UNESCO, sets the programmes and the budget of the Organization.
During the General Conference, a rich programme and side-events have taken place with presentations and debates on key issues in each of UNESCO’s fields of competence: Education, Science, and Culture, as well as Information and Communication.
The Director of the UNESCO Institute for Information Technologies in Education (UNESCO IITE) Mr. Tao Zhan, the Chair of the IITE Governing Board, President and CEO of Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Professor Asha Kanwar took part in the sessions of Education Commission and relevant side-events within the General Conference. Professor Asha Kanwar presented a Report of the IITE Governing Board to the Education Commission on the activities of the Institute for 2022-2023. The report provided an outline of the Institute’s activities which promote the innovative and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence and digital technologies in education, supporting Member States as a facilitator and enabler for achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4). Professor Kanwar highlighted the impact of IITE’s work in promoting policy development and research, empowering teachers, supporting online learning platforms and OER while engaging youth for health and well-being.
Please visit the official website of the General Conference for more information.